94 chevy wont go into 4wd

jremington59 · 10-21-2009, 04:18 PM

Hi all. I have a 94 chevy half ton 4 wd, manual engage, with floor lever. I haven't driven the truck much during the summer and haven't used the 4wd in around six months. Today I tried putting it in 4wd but the lever on the floor wouldn't move in either direction. I got under the truck and the "lever" on the transfer case where the linkage connects would not move whatsoever. It is like it's frozen. I tapped it lightly with a hammer and it didn't move a sixteenth of an inch. I unhooked the linkage to be sure something wasn't bound up and it still won't move.

Anyone have any ideas how to free this up? Thanks.

1500cheyenne96 · 10-22-2009, 10:06 AM

with the linkage disconnected will the 4X4 lever in the cab move? or are you talking about where it mounts to the T-case? cause my 96 had a similar problem and the linkage got bent slightly somehow and it wouldn't engage. also the little pin at the base of the lever has been know to corrode

jremington59 · 10-22-2009, 01:50 PM

I unhooked the linkage off the Tcase and tried to move the Tcase lever and it's like it's frozen.

I don't have a clue why it won't move. Do you think it's possible it could be rust holding it that tightly? I changed the fluid and it was good and red and didn't have any water in it.....

1500cheyenne96 · 10-22-2009, 02:46 PM

It's kinda hard to say without actually seeing it but you could try the heating, cooling and working it back and forth slowly usually that will free up just about any stuck bolt or otherwise. but be careful on heating up cause i'm not sure if your t-case is alm. or cast

jremington59 · 10-22-2009, 04:22 PM

I may be mistaken, but isn't there a gear on the end of the shaft going into the Tcase? I removed the outside shaft the linkage hooks onto and there is a plastic white O-ring behind that, and there is some rust there so I sprayed it with PB Blaster and hopefully that loosens it up. I imagine the o ring keeps fluid from leaking out and nothing came out after I removed it. Even if there were a broken gear in there I don't think it would freeze the shaft up the way it is.

And the case does appear to be aluminum...

1500cheyenne96 · 10-23-2009, 08:08 AM

Thats right there is no i don't think that a broken gear would stop it but anything is possible i guess but you didn't mention any metal shavings in the fluid so I'm assuming that all is well. But I'm still wondering if you lever in the cab will move with the linkage unhooked from the t-case

domino1 · 10-23-2009, 08:41 AM

try lifting the front of the truck and rotating the front shaft and engaging at the same time- you'll find out if there is a broken gear in there. is there any distortion in the shifter like you hit something? make sure the shift lever on the floor moves while everything is disconected, move it back and forth just to make sure there isn't any corrosion in there.

jremington59 · 10-23-2009, 11:53 AM

OK, I got it fixed.

I took off the lever from the transfer case and then removed the o ring. I sprayed it heavy with wd40 and then sprayed it heavy with PB Blaster. I did this for the last day. I went out this morning and reached up in with a small crescent wrench and got onto where the gear hooks onto the shaft. I finally got it to budge so I kept spraying it with wd40 and working the shaft back and forth. The more I turned it and sprayed it the easier it got.

So I guess what it was is that I didn't use it for a while and moisture got into the shaft, rusted and seized up the shaft from turning. I guess it's my own fault for not using it for so long.

The good part is it hasn't worked this freely since I owned the truck and actually goes into 4 wheel drive quite easily. So if you have a manual engage 4 wd and the lever is pulling hard you can take it apart and lube it up a little....

Thx everyone for the replies....

10-21-2009, 04:18 PM	#1
jremington59 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 51	94 chevy wont go into 4wd Hi all. I have a 94 chevy half ton 4 wd, manual engage, with floor lever. I haven't driven the truck much during the summer and haven't used the 4wd in around six months. Today I tried putting it in 4wd but the lever on the floor wouldn't move in either direction. I got under the truck and the "lever" on the transfer case where the linkage connects would not move whatsoever. It is like it's frozen. I tapped it lightly with a hammer and it didn't move a sixteenth of an inch. I unhooked the linkage to be sure something wasn't bound up and it still won't move. Anyone have any ideas how to free this up? Thanks. Last edited by jremington59; 10-21-2009 at 05:20 PM.

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10-22-2009, 10:06 AM	#2
1500cheyenne96 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: MIchigan Posts: 849	with the linkage disconnected will the 4X4 lever in the cab move? or are you talking about where it mounts to the T-case? cause my 96 had a similar problem and the linkage got bent slightly somehow and it wouldn't engage. also the little pin at the base of the lever has been know to corrode

10-22-2009, 01:50 PM	#3
jremington59 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 51	I unhooked the linkage off the Tcase and tried to move the Tcase lever and it's like it's frozen. I don't have a clue why it won't move. Do you think it's possible it could be rust holding it that tightly? I changed the fluid and it was good and red and didn't have any water in it.....

10-22-2009, 02:46 PM	#4
1500cheyenne96 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: MIchigan Posts: 849	It's kinda hard to say without actually seeing it but you could try the heating, cooling and working it back and forth slowly usually that will free up just about any stuck bolt or otherwise. but be careful on heating up cause i'm not sure if your t-case is alm. or cast

10-22-2009, 04:22 PM	#5
jremington59 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 51	I may be mistaken, but isn't there a gear on the end of the shaft going into the Tcase? I removed the outside shaft the linkage hooks onto and there is a plastic white O-ring behind that, and there is some rust there so I sprayed it with PB Blaster and hopefully that loosens it up. I imagine the o ring keeps fluid from leaking out and nothing came out after I removed it. Even if there were a broken gear in there I don't think it would freeze the shaft up the way it is. And the case does appear to be aluminum...

10-23-2009, 08:08 AM	#6
1500cheyenne96 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: MIchigan Posts: 849	Thats right there is no i don't think that a broken gear would stop it but anything is possible i guess but you didn't mention any metal shavings in the fluid so I'm assuming that all is well. But I'm still wondering if you lever in the cab will move with the linkage unhooked from the t-case

10-23-2009, 08:41 AM	#7
domino1 Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 7	try lifting the front of the truck and rotating the front shaft and engaging at the same time- you'll find out if there is a broken gear in there. is there any distortion in the shifter like you hit something? make sure the shift lever on the floor moves while everything is disconected, move it back and forth just to make sure there isn't any corrosion in there.

10-23-2009, 11:53 AM	#8
jremington59 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 51	OK, I got it fixed. I took off the lever from the transfer case and then removed the o ring. I sprayed it heavy with wd40 and then sprayed it heavy with PB Blaster. I did this for the last day. I went out this morning and reached up in with a small crescent wrench and got onto where the gear hooks onto the shaft. I finally got it to budge so I kept spraying it with wd40 and working the shaft back and forth. The more I turned it and sprayed it the easier it got. So I guess what it was is that I didn't use it for a while and moisture got into the shaft, rusted and seized up the shaft from turning. I guess it's my own fault for not using it for so long. The good part is it hasn't worked this freely since I owned the truck and actually goes into 4 wheel drive quite easily. So if you have a manual engage 4 wd and the lever is pulling hard you can take it apart and lube it up a little.... Thx everyone for the replies....